Unethical practices alleged against medial suppliers

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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — Ever since a recent FBI search at the offices of several Bakersfield medical providers, viewers have contacted Eyewitness News with concerns about issues in the industry.

These are businesses that provide equipment such as oxygen tanks, nebulizers, wheelchairs and other items to patients.

Roger Haug said he was an operations manager for a local medical supplier for more than two years. Businesses, he claimed, would engage in questionable practices by soliciting patients.

Haug said medical supply representatives would sit in offices where they strike up a conversation with a patient and inquire about their medical supply provider in an attempt to woo them away to their own company.

"You're not really supposed to do that, but they do that," said Haug.

Haug claimed it's not uncommon for patients to end up being swapped between different medical providers without the patient's knowledge.

Haug said it's all done to drum up more business for a medical supply provider, resulting in a loss of service and care to the patient.

Minimum time, said Haug, is devoted to providing patients with information they need to know and understand about operating medical equipment.